Heviz Thermal Lake and Keszthely Castle

Heviz is famous for its thermal lake named Gyogy-to. It is the biggest thermal lake in Europe. The average temperature of the water is 33 degrees so you can enjoy the lake all year round, even if there is snow around. Thermal water comes naturally into the lake with 80 millions liters daily. The water is good for the health and there is a small place where you can cover yourself in mud which is good for renovating your skin. The thermal lake is definitely one of the highlight of visiting this region and you will enjoy this very much for sure.
Open hours vary according to the season. They also offer different spa services like massages, etc. You can check the opening hours on the website, prices and different services. And they also display the temperature of the water on that day.

After a nice relaxing morning in the lake of Heviz, drive to Keszthely to have lunch. Park Vendeglo is a good hungarian restaurant with local dishes and wine and home made desserts. I personally recommend the Keszthely style fish with local white wine. In Summer, it is very enjoyable to sit on the outside terrace.
Open hours Monday - Sunday 12:00 - 22:00 in Summer form May to October (Until 20:00 from November to April). You can book a table on their website.

The Festetics Palace is the highlight of Keszthely, don't miss it from outside and from inside. The construction of this beautiful white castle started in 1745. The two wings were added 150 years later. There are about 100 rooms. You can visit about 18 rooms with baroque style which are parts of the Helikon museum. The huge library with beautiful sculpted oak furniture from 1801 is the masterpiece of the castle and hosts 100.000 books.
Open hours Monday - Sunday 10:00 - 17:00. There are several place that you can visit in addition of the castle and the park, like small museums. And you have to choose which ones and which ticket you want at the ticket office. You can check the website for more information. I recommend to visit the Palm house with animals, birds, plants and flowers. There is even an aquarium.

Keszthely is definitely one of the most beautiful town around the Lake Balaton. The main square has been renovated in 2012 and has a nice and big pedestrian area surrounded by beautiful buildings like the city hall with baroque style. You can visit the Franciscan church and check out the column from 1770.
Keszthely has also seven small museums with different subjects if you are interested and have more time, like the museum of toys, of dolls, the erotic museum, the torture museum or the museum of nostalgy which I really enjoyed since I like retro objects. These small museums are located between the Festetics Palace and the Main Square.

The Balaton museum is a very interesting visit if you want to understand well everything about the lake. It displays the history of the lake with its thermal waters around and how it developed tourism with even the swim suits styles according to the different eras. And you can also learn about the geology and the fauna and the flora of the lake. It is very complete to help you understand everything you want to know about the Lake Balaton.
Open hours Tuesday - Saturday 9:00 - 17:00 Closed on Mondays and Sundays. Open on Sundays from July 14th to August 31st. You can check the website for more information.

This is a beautiful place with beautiful views of the lake. It is very nice to walk around here on the pontoon and around along the shore of the lake. There are also beaches that you can enjoy to relax and swim in the lake. The pontoon with its wooden structure is a typical site of Keszthely. There is also a big wheel where you can enjoy a view over the lake from above. Enjoy the beautiful and peaceful scenery before driving back. When you leave try to take the road along the lake to enjoy the best views of the scenic route as it will be still daytime in Summer.

On the way back to Budapest, stop in Siofok which is a very popular destination for Hungarian people, especially young people who like to party in the Summer. Many events, concerts, parties are organized and there are many bars and night clubs in Siofok. It is a good place to have a break and dinner on the same occasion as it is located half way between Keszthely and Budapest. Enjoy good Italian food in this restaurant and you can have a little walk around if you want to feel the vibe of the place before going back to Budapest.
Open hours Sunday - Thursday 10:00 - 23:00 Friday - Saturday 10:00 - 24:00. You can book a table on their website.